Grapple.



lA. G. HENmCKs. GRAPPLE.

APPLICATION man MAR.15.`1915.

LQQGS..

imma Feb.v 1919' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 To all whom t may concern:

' .UNiTEn STATES PATENT osmosi ARTHUR G. HENRICKS, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO PAWLING- .AND

HARNISCHFEGEROOMPANY, OF WEST MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORA- TION OF WISCONSIN.

GRAPPLE.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G.

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented cert-ain bulky andheavy; to -avoid tearing or mutilating'the wrappings of such bales or bundles or their contents;v and vgenerallyto improve the construction and operation of grapples for this class of work.

AIt consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described\ and pointed out in the claims. f

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate thesame parts'in the several figures.

Figure l is a plan view of agrapple embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal ysection on thev line 2 2, Fig.`

1; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View on a reduced scale showing the grapple 1n connection .with a crane, a part of the front side of the grapple frame being broken away.

The grapple comprisesa portable frame4 l, which is preferably of oblong rectangu- V lar shape, and which may be conveniently made Iof channel bars connected at the corners by angle plates 2, which project above the frame and afford meansfor attachment.

of the ropes or cables 3 by which the grap,- ple is suspended from a crane or hoisting and transferring apparatus, as shown in Fig. 3. The frame 1 is provided between and parallel with itsside members with two ties or stringers 4, which may be made as shown in Figs. l and 2, of channel bars riveted at thea-ends by angle plates tothe end meinbers of the frame. Upon these stringers isbolted an auxiliary frame or stand 5, provided midway between the ends. of the frame 1 with bearings 6 for a rocker shaft 7, and above HEivRICKs,- a citizen of the United States, residlng atand transversely to. said shaft with bearings 8 for a shaft 9. The shaft 7 is provided at its end-s inside of the frame 1 with levers 10, having arms projecting equally from opposite sidesthereof. Between the bearings 6 a segment worm gear 11-is fXed on the shaft 'The shaft'Q-is lprovided between its bearings 8. with a worm 12 meshing with the gear 1l, andV at one end this shaft has a slip clutch driving connection. In. the present case this driving connection consists of a spur gear 13, loosely mounted on theshaft 9 between friction disks or jaws 14, one of which'is iXed on the shaft while the'other is keyed or feathered thereon and movable lengthwise thereof.: Between the movable disk or lj aw and a washer and nuts 15 threaded on the'shaft, a spiral'spring 16 is interposed, the nuts, one of which is a lock nut, affording means for adjusting the tension of specification of Lettersratent. Paten-ted Feb,f25,1919, Appueation med'lviareh 15, 1915. serial No. 14,333. i

the spring and the pressure of the friction disks or jaws on the interposed gear 13.

gear 13 meshes .with a pinion 17-on the ar mature shaft of a motor 18, which is mounted on and bolted to the stringers 4. Two

, transverse shafts 19 are secured in the longitudinal members of the frame 1 below, parallel lwith. and equidistant from the rocker shaft 7. Upon the shafts 19 yare pivotally mounted or. fulcrumed between collars 20 and the side members of the framefbell crank or angular levers 21, having their up- "wardly extending arms connected in pairs by links 22 withY the lev'er arms 10 on opposite sides of the rocker shaft 7 The other outwardly projecting arms of the levers 21 are provided transversely thereto with' opposing tapering arcuate prongs or teeth 23, Iwhich are secured by their reduced threaded shanks in transverse holes in the ends of the arms, by nuts. The'prongs or teeth, which are tapered gradually from their shanks to points-at their opposite ends, are curved, their center lines or longitudinal axes being concentric with the axes of theshafts 19, about which they swing or oscillate,so that they` will enter a bale or bundle when the grapple is closed, and will be withdrawn therefromy when the grapple is opened v lengthwise, without tearing, mutilating or injuring the wrapping or contents of the bale or bundle. The prongs or teeth entering the bale or bundle and being withdrawn therefrom lengthwise in curved paths eX- actly corresponding with thecurvature of the center lines of the teeth, simply make small punctures in the wrapping and contents of the`bale or bundle.

rl`he prongs or teeth 23 and the levers 21 with their operating connections are so constructed and arranged relative to the frame 1, that in the operation of the grapple the prongs or teeth will in closing move downwardly and toward each other below the bottom of the frame, which extends outwardly beyond the paths of the teeth, as shown in lFig. 3, and in opening will be withdrawn above the bottom of the frame. as shown in Fig. 2 so that the frame serves as a stripper for removing bales or bundles from the prongs or teeth when they are withdrawn, as shown in Fig. 2, above the bottom of the frame.

The stand or frame 5 is formed or provided with abutments or stops 2t, which by engagement with the ends of the segment gear 11 limit the movement of the grapple tric motor for closing and opening the teeth 23, current is supplied thereto through a cable 29, looped' or guided over the trolley 2G and leading from a controller 30 in the operators cage 31, which may be suspended as shown in Fig. 3 from the trolley, but any other kind of motor or other suitable means may be employed for operating the grapple prongs or teeth.

In Fig. 3, 32 designates an electric motor for operating the hoisting drums 25, and 33 designates the trolley these motors 26 lengthwise of the bridge 27, being supplied with current 'through controllers (not shown) in the operto rest in proper ators cage, which may be suspended from the trolley as shown. or from the bridge.

In the operation of the grapple, the prongs or teeth being withdrawn outwardly and upwardly above the bottom of the frame 1, as shown in Fig, 2, the grapple is carried in an elevated position by the crane over a bale or bundle to be elevated, and is then lowered directly upon the top of the bale or bundle vbythe proper.manipulation of the controller in the cage 31 supplying current to the hoist ing motor 32. `When the frame 1 is brought position on the bale, the theproper manipulation of the controller 30, admits current through the cable 29 to the motor 18, which through the actuating connections hereinbefore described,

operator by an electric motor Jfor propelling thrusts the prongs or teeth 23 downwardly below the trame 1 into the bale, as shown in Fig. 3, in which a bale is indicated by broken lines. After the opposing prongs are thus closed or thrust into the'bale, they firmly grip the same to the, frame 1 and prevent it from falling .when the grapple is lifted. After the closing movement of the prongs or teeth is arrested by one of the stops 241, as shown in Fig. 3, the gear 13 slips between the friction plates or jaws 1st until currentis turned off from the motor 18 by the operator at the controller 30. Current is then admitted to the hoisting motor 32 by theA operator, and the bale is lifted with the grapple to the desired elevation by t-he simultaneous windingof the four ropes or cables 3 on the drums 25, after which it is conveyed by the crane to the desired location by the operation of the bridge'and trolley motors of the crane. It is then lowered with kthe grapple by reversing the hoisting motor 32, and after it has been deposited at the desired point the grapple is released by a reversal of the operation of the motor 18, .which withdraws the prongs or teeth 23 from the bale into the position in which they are shown in Fig. 2, and in which they are arrested by the engagement of the gear 11 with the right hand stop 241, the clutch slipping until the motor is stopped.

By the construction and arrangement of the parts of the grapple as shown and de scribed, a single operator in the cage of the crane is enabled to pick up, hoist, transfer from place to place, lower and deposit a bale or bundle without assistance f'rom a helper or helpers on the floor, and since the grapple is made to grasp bales or bundles at the top instead of at the sides or ends, they may be taken from and deposited in piles close together, .without waste of space.

The arrangement of theprongs or teeth 23 relative .to the frame 1 is such as to insure the simultaneous withdrawal of all the rongs from the bale, and the positive release of the bale therefrom. The suspension of the -grapple frame by four ropes or cables 3.

which are simultaneously wound and unwound on the hoisting drums 25 supports it with stability in a horizontal position and avoids undue swaying or swinging of the load in transferring it .from one place to another, especially in starting and stopping suddenly. v

The worin and worm gear drive for open` ing and closing the grapple, locks and holds the prongs or teeth 23 in any position in which their movement is arrested, either by the stops 2e or by the stopping of the motor 18. l

The grapple may be provided with one or more, preferably two or more, symmetrically arranged pairs of prongs or teeth, and it may be constructed to'simultaneously pick up and carry two 0r more bales or bundles placed end, to end or side by side.

To vary the span of the grapple for operating on more or less bales or bundles or on bales or bundles of different dimensions, provision is made for adjusting the ivot axes or fulcrums of the levers 21 tolwarc and from each'other. For this purpose the longitudinal members of the frame 1 are formed as shown in Fig. A2, with two or more sets of alined holes 34 for the shafts 19, which may `thus bel spaced a greater' or less Adistance able frame, a pair of Vrocker-arms mounted in said frame on parallel pivot aXes and provided with opposing pointed arcuate teeth concentric with said pivot axes, and means for simultaneously swinging said arms and teeth toward and from each other below and above the lower side of the frame, which extends outwardly beyond the paths of the teleth and serves as a stripper for the teeth. 2. In a grapple the combination of a portableframe, a pair'of rocker arms-mounted vin said frame` on parallel pivot axes and provided with opposing pointed arcuate teeth concentric with the pivot aXes of the arms,

and a motor mounted on said frame and adapted, lto swing said arms. simultaneously toward and from each other below and above the lower side of the frame which eX- tends outwardly beyond the paths of the teeth and serves to strip bale or bundle from the teeth when the grapple is opened.

3. Ina grapple the combination of a portable frame, angular levers mounted in said frame onpparallel aXes and provided at the free end of one arm of each lever with opposing teeth curved concentrically with-the axes of the levers, a rocker shaft mounted on said frame between and parallel with the axes 0f said levers and-provided with lever arms projecting from opposite sides thereof and connected by links with the other arms of the angular levers, and means for rocking said shaft to simultaneously swing said teeth toward and away from eachother.

4. In a grapple the combination of a port' able frame, a rocker shaft mounted .thereon land provided with a worm gear and on opposite sides with lever arms, angular levers mounted in said frame with their fulcrums on opposite sides of and parallel with said shaft and provided at the end of one arm of each lever with tapering teeth curved concentrically withsaid fulcrums, links connecting the other arms of the angular levers with opposite lever arms on the rocker shaft, a shaft mounted on said frame transversely to said rocker shaft and provided with a worm meshing with the worm gear, and means for turning the worm shaft in opposite directions.

5. Ina grapple the combination of a port-` ablel frame, angular levers fulcrumed in said frame on parallel axes and provided at the end of one arm'of each lever with opposing teeth curved concentrically with saidl axes, a rocker shaft mounted on said frame midway aboveV and parallel with the fulcrum axes of said levers and provided on opposite sides with lever'arms which are connected by links with the other arms of the angular levers, a segment worm gear'fiXed on the rocker shaft, stops on the frame for limiting the oscillatory movement of said shaft and of the angular levers connected therewith, a shaft mounted on said frame transversely to the rocker shaft and provided with a worm meshing with said gear, and a slip friction clutch driving connection with the worm shaft. y

6.v In a grapple the combination of a portable frame, angular levers fulcrumed in said frame on parallel axes andv provided with .opposing teeth curved concentrically with said axes, a rocker shaft provided with a 'worm gear and on opposite sides with lever arms which are connected by links with said angular levers, stops for limiting the oseillatory movements of said levers, a shaft mounted 0n the frame transversely to the rocker shaft and provided with a worm meshing with said gear,- a gear loosely mounted on the ,worml shaftbetween two friction liaws, an adjustable spring pressing one of the jawsjagainst said gear, and a 'motor mounted on said frame and connected with said loose gear.

'7. In a grapple the combination of a portable frame, ,angular levers fulcrumed in pairs on parallel axes vin said frame and provided with opposing curved teeth concentric with said axes, an intermediate rocker shaft ing a portable frame, rocker arms pivotally mounted in said frame on parallel axes and provided with opposing curved 'teeth concentric with said axes, a motor mounted on Said frame for simultaneously swinging said arms' to thrust the teeth downwardly and toward each other below the frame and to withdraw them upwardly away from each other 'above the bottom of the frame, which serves as a stripper for the teeth, and means for suspending and ,transporting 'and for 8,. The combination of a grapple comprismeshing with said gear, and a slip clutch driving connection with said worm.

10. In a grapple the combination of a port-able frame, rocker arms mounted in said frame on parallel axes which are adjustable toward and from each other to vary the spanv of the grapple and provided with opposing curved `teeth concentric with said axes, and a motor mounted on said frame for simultaneously turning said arms in opposite directions toward and from each other below and above the bottom of the frame which serves as a stripper for the teeth.

11. A grapple for bales and packages, comprising a frame adapted to overlie the bale, tine carrying arms pivoted in said frame, links connected to opposite pairs of arms, rocker arms connecting each pair of links, a shaft carrying said rocker arms, and means for rotating said shaft in either direction to move the tines into and out of grilpping engagement with the top of the 12. A grapple for bales and packages, comprising av frame adapted to overlie the bale, tine carrying arms pivoted in said frame, links Aconnected to opposite pairs of arms, rocker arms connecting each pair of links, gear cn said shaft, and a reversible motor carried b f the frame and connected to said gear to move the tines into and out of gripping engagement with the Atop of the bale.

13. A grapple for bales and packages, comprising a frame adapted to overlie the bale, tine carrying arms pivoted in said frame, links connected to opposite pairs of arms, rocker arms connecting eac'h pair of links, a shaft carrying said rocker arms, a gear on said shaft, land a reversible motor carried by the frame, driving connections including a friction clutch between the motor and the gear, whereby the tines are moved into and out of gripping engagement with the top of the bale.

a shaft carrying said rocker arms, a

In witness whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of twov witnesses.

ARTHUR G. HENRICKS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. Goss, ALICE E. Goss. 

